British deputy PM to visit Turkey to improve trade ties

The UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is set to visit Turkey to lead a business delegation to give a boost to diplomatic and business ties between two countries, the British Embassy stated in a statement on Monday Today`s Zaman reported.

"He will today announce a number of lucrative deals for British businesses, including new jobs in Cardiff, as he begins a trade and diplomatic visit to Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey," the statement said.

In a released statement from the British Embassy in Ankara, it said Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will also visit to Ankara and İstanbul, the commercial hub and the largest city of the country.

The statement noted that Businees Minister Michael Fallon and top representatives of a number of large companies such as Arup, Mott, McDonald, AECOM, Lloyds of London and Cella Energy would join to the deputy prime minister. "Together they will discuss possible new deals and business ventures with their Turkish counterparts potentially worth up to half a billion pounds," the statement said.

Clegg will also hold a series of high level bilateral meetings with Turkish leaders including President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, the statement added.